UNICEF Voices Concern Over Ongoing Ban on Girls’ Education in Afghanistan

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has expressed concern over the continued ban on girls’ education in Afghanistan, while noting that despite significant challenges facing the country’s education system, opportunities remain for its reconstruction and improvement.

UNICEF emphasized the importance of lifting the ban on girls attending secondary schools, calling it a crucial step toward preserving educational gains and providing equal learning opportunities for all Afghan children, both boys and girls.

The statement from the agency highlighted that investing in primary education and ensuring universal access is essential for securing a brighter future for the new generation of Afghanistan. UNICEF urged the Taliban administration to remove obstacles preventing children, particularly girls, from accessing education and to pave the way for their equal participation in society.

Since the Taliban regained control of Kabul in 2021, the group has barred girls from attending secondary schools and high schools—a move that has drawn widespread domestic and international condemnation and severely restricted millions of Afghan girls’ access to education.